To increase access to, and availability of, local quality seeds, improve the quality of seeds produced, identify high yielding varieties of beans and maize and disseminate them locally.

Key partners:

The Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development (MARNDR), the National Seed Service (SNS), municipal agricultural offices (BAC), local communities and non-governmental organizations.

Beneficiaries reached:

Some 10 000 vulnerable households, 30 groups of artisanal seed producers, nearly 13 000 households, the MARNDR, particularly the National Seed Service and the BAC of the Departments of Sud, Sud-Est, Ouest, Artibone and Nord-Est.

Activities implemented:

Multiplication and distribution in rural areas of four bean varieties, two pigeon pea varieties, three maize varieties, one sorghum variety and three species of forage crops.

Distributed 24.8 tonnes of good quality seeds to groups of artisanal seed producers for multiplication activities.

Planted 12 ha of fodder crops.

Organized seed fairs.

Distributed 30 humidifiers, 30 metal probes, 10 000 packaging bags that can contain up to 500 tonnes of seeds, 120 tarpaulins for drying and 84 silos with a storage capacity of 48.5 tonnes to groups of artisanal seed producers.

Organized training sessions on techniques to use the distributed material.

Organized training on production, protection, conservation and packaging techniques for beans, pigeon peas and maize, as well as training on management of agricultural enterprises (microprojects/microcredits), marketing and market research.

Organized training for facilitators and trainers through the Farmer Field School approach.

Conducted a study of the seed market and microeconomic analysis of the groups of artisanal seed producers and other agricultural enterprises in Haiti.

Impact:

Produced 1 712 tonnes of quality seeds of different crops (beans, maize, sorghum and pigeon peas) by the groups of artisanal seed producers.

Produced a total of 1 318 tonnes of cereal and legume seeds through multiplication by the beneficiary households.

Increased the quantity and quality of seeds within six growing seasons.

Produced 100 tonnes of dry matter per year, serving as vegetable planting material for surrounding farmers.

Strengthened the technical capacity of 522 people.

Improved packaging techniques and seed storage.

Improved understanding of the seed market through the study carried out, also providing a better understanding for future interventions in the seed sector.

Improved the diet of beneficiary households and generated additional revenue through the sale of surplus production.